The social media network X has caused major outrage after users used its AI chatbot Grok to change images of women by stripping their attire.
Multiple cases have been seen where the tool has been used to remove clothing from women to render them in bikinis without consent, as well as to place them in sexually explicit scenarios.
Company Response and Legal Position
XAI, the company that created Grok, remained silent to inquiries, except for an auto-reply response stating "legacy media lies".
A Home Office official stated that legislation is being introduced to ban image stripping software. Under a upcoming law, anyone who supplied such technology would "receive a prison sentence and heavy penalties".
"The platform has the ability to stop these forms of misuse if they desired to," said a law professor, adding they "appear to enjoy a lack of consequences."
Regulator Stance and Platform Functionality
The communications watchdog Ofcom said technology companies must "evaluate the risk" of people seeing unlawful material on their services, but stopped short of confirming whether it was presently looking into X or Grok in relation to artificial intelligence pictures.
Grok is a free AI assistant—with some premium features—which responds to X users' requests when they tag it in a tweet.
It is commonly used to provide reactions or more context to other users' remarks, but people on X are also capable of edit an uploaded image through its AI image editing feature.
Background of Criticism and Rules
The tool has been faulted for allowing users to generate images and videos with nudity and sexually suggestive material, and it was in the past alleged to have been involved in generating inappropriate material of celebrities.
"X has been allowing the production and distribution of these images for a long time without taking any action and we have not witnessed any action by regulators," the expert added.
XAI's own terms of service forbids "showing likenesses of people in a sexually explicit way".
In a statement, Ofcom said it was illegal to "make or circulate non-consensual intimate images or illegal content" and stated this covered sexual deepfakes made with AI.
It said platforms such as X were mandated to take "suitable steps" to "lessen the danger" of users viewing illegal content on their services and to delete it promptly when they are notified of it.
